With its unparalleled graphics, incredibly well-paced single-player campaign and in-depth multiplayer offerings, Killzone 2 has established its place among top-tier console shooters. Expectations on Killzone 2 had reached ridiculous proportions; here's one of those cases where the game actually lived up to them.

Three factors make Killzone 2 one of the best shooters of recent years. An immense individual campaign, an addictive multiplayer mode and a graphical section that could leave any fan exhausted. With these three axes Guerrilla works a fascinating shooter; a magnificent tribute to action and science fiction cinema, that as a gameplay and sensorial proposal will not be forgotten any time soon.

In the context of other PS3 first person shooters, Killzone 2 serves as the ideal compatriot to Resistance 2, providing us with a more grown up - and arguably more polished - experience, as well as spoiling us rotten with yet more multiplayer goodness. Once you get past the graphics-induced shellshock and push the underwhelming plot to the back of your mind, there is a worthy first person shooter that simply demands to be played.

On the whole the writing is poor quality and the dialogue risible, embarrassingly so at times. It doesn't quite make Gears of War seems like a quality drama but it's not far off. At least Gears of War features memorable characters.

If you're a PS3 fanboy and were a little bit jealous because your "Xbot" friends were loving it up with Gears of War 2, don't worry too much. Killzone 2 is every bit as engaging as that title is. In fact, the story and characters are much more interesting and, dare I say, the graphics are even better. However, the lack of co-op features is a substantial misstep; anyone who has gone through Gears 2's Horde mode, blasting away with their buddies can tell you that.

Killzone 2 is a gorgeous piece of gaming art, with a great story and a compelling and sometimes challenging single player campaign. It has truly raised the bar pretty high in the console FPS genre and will no doubt become a killer app for Sony’s console this year.

At first glance its graphics will simply blow you away. Unfortunately the looks are the only truly sensational thing about this game. Sure, level design and AI are outstanding. But whoever was hoping for the Uber-Shooter could be disappointed by the lackluster boss fights and the mediocre weapon and enemy variety. Still: Whoever owns a PS3 has to play this game!

Countless lauded exclusives have spectacularly flopped since the PS3’s launch and the console’s market share is still less than glowing; there’s a sense that for history to repeat itself twice with another Killzone debacle, given the expectations, the jaw-dropping preview footage and the hordes of illiterate fanboys chomping at the bit, would have been catastrophic. Instead, the end result is nothing short of triumphant.

Guerrilla has generally lived up to the crazy amount of hype surrounding the development of the game, and in the end, has offered us a very competent First-Person Shooter, with confident execution on all fronts.

I've not had this much fun with a console FPS in a long time, and feel confident in saying that Killzone 2 is probably the best of its kind to come out this generation. While some flaws are evident in the story and a number of design choices, they pale in comparison to the purity of the gunplay and the meaty action that prevails.

Killzone 2 is a taut and muscular game, a shooter that gives back more than you put in, provided you have the intestinal fortitude. It may take its time revealing its true depths and pleasures, but the journey is well worth taking. Between Killzone 2's unforgiving grit and Resistance 2's alien-bursting excess, the PS3 finally has both ends of the shooter spectrum covered in grand style.

Killzone 2 is without a doubt the high point for a project in videogaming. Believable, safe, coherent and above all, brilliant in its execution. A must-have for all those who love this art, especially for those in need of breathtaking experiences, where the different senses are laid on the table.

Killzone 2 is a rock solid First Person Shooter, developed with care and essential for the PS3 Line Up. It’s a peculiar title, realistic in the approach, dark and gloomy, conveying a strange perspective about war and obedience. The single player experience is linear and not that long, but the multiplayer is perfect, stressing a tactical aspect that is not so diffused in the other exponents of the genre.

What Killzone 2 does well, it does very well. It is pure eye candy with a silky smooth frame rate and graphics that truly push the PS3 boundaries, and combat that is overall enjoyable and varied enough to keep you interested. However, those of you concerned with innovative game play and original storylines need not apply.

Probably the tastiest part of the Killzone Cocktail is the Multiplayer. Imagine if Call Of Duty 4 and Team Fortress 2 had a baby, which they then abandoned and as a result had to learn a few new tricks to survive. That’s what Killzone Multiplayer is like.

It's far from innovative as other games feature superior narratives and better multiplayer modes, but it's still an edge of your seat and bullet riddled extravaganza that begs to be experienced by anyone with a PS3.

Four years in the making and while we could have expected a bit more from Guerilla Games, Killzone 2 is THE game your Playstation 3 has been waiting for. While it doesn’t redefine nor re-invent anything in the FPS world, Killzone 2 delivers the excitement but most of all the beauty no gamer has ever seen before.

Killzone 2 is a game which gives war a glorious edge. The cinematic style of the single-player campaign brings forth memories of classic war stories as an elite group of four soldiers battle against a malevolent enemy.

Killzone 2 is a stunning game best suited for FPS aficionados, rabid graphics whores, and all proud Ps3 owners in general. Guerrilla Games have stepped up to the plate and delivered very comparable results to “that preview video” that blew our collective minds in 2005. Using Guerrilla’s proprietary ‘deferred rendering engine’ Killzone 2 squeezes a lot more juice out of the Ps3 than anything we’ve seen thus far.

It took a long time for Killzone 2 to finally come out, but after diving head first into the game, there's no doubt in my mind that it lives up to the hype and is a must-play for FPS fans. [Mar 2009, p.70]

If you can look past the lackluster single player campaign and spotty controls and set your sights on the obviously superior multiplayer component you will have yourself one of the best looking, and playing, games on the PS3.

Killzone II is without a doubt a diamond in Sony's line-up and already a game that has GOTY written all over it. Its feels more than
refreshing to play a sci-fi shooter with realistic gameplay. In single player you'll be dazzled with details, a strong AI and beautifull
graphics. And even though it's all going to be over in a blink of an eye, it gives you enough satisfaction to last a whole lot longer. As a delicious dessert you'll get the multiplayer, which is so addictive that it almost turns into the most important part of the game. Killzone II is something to be proud of as a Dutchman.

The single player campaign may be on the short(er) side, but the entire journey is action-packed and adrenaline pumping without any noticeable downtime. And the multiplayer may not offer all of the different modes some gamers are used to, but Warzone's unique customization capabilities offset that nicely.

Games like Killzone 2 don't come down the pike very often, but when they do it is your duty as a gamer to purchase, play and love them. When it comes to action and/or shooting, nothing else even comes close.

A must-have for all PS3-owners. Killzone 2 provides a special atmosphere that succeeds in making you believe you have an important role to play and the only thing you want to do in this game is find out what might be next.

Without the blu-ray disk drive and its ridiculous storage space, the textures couldn’t be as high-resolution and photorealistic as they are. Without the cell-processor and its amazing power, the game couldn’t support as many light sources as it does at once. Without the PlayStation 3, you cannot get the Killzone experience anywhere else. If that was the game’s goal, to prove that point to gamers, than they’ve done their job, and given PS3 owners one hell of a title in the process. The single player definitely hurts without cooperative play, but the multiplayer and overall stunning presentation should earn Killzone 2 a spot on any gamer’s shelf.

Killzone 2 is a gamer’s game. And although it fails to go beyond the confines of the genre, we wouldn’t criticise it for being anything other than a wonderful example of what can be achieved within them. [Mar 2009, p.108]

Because i[t] successfully brings together a compelling single player campaign and fully realized multiplayer experience, Killzone 2 emerges as a new benchmark for the shooter genre. This is a game that leverages an atmospheric presentation and superb game design for something memorable and lasting. To quibble about a lack of cooperative play through the campaign or the omission of some other feature is to miss the point: Killzone 2 is meant to be a carefully laid out epic. It is a must-have game, a brilliant start for the year, and among the best games of this generation.

Killzone 2 is an exceptional first-person shooter, not because it does anything particularly new, but because it does everything extraordinarily well. There's certainly no doubting its graphical superiority, but though its moody visuals invite incessant superlatives, it's the tight, electric action that will make this an off- and online haven.

Shooters are a dime-a-dozen these days, with many different variations to choose from. Killzone 2 manages to stand out from the pack thanks to its superb graphics, its unique setting, and its robust multiplayer offerings.

Probably the key flaw in Killzone 2 is how meticulously scripted it is. For example, if a Helghast is programmed to run to a certain location and then start shooting, he usually won’t shoot until he gets there, even if you’ve ambushed him and are filling him with holes.

While Killzone 2 is not re-imagining the genre, it’s solid, beautiful, and challenging, with excellent multiplayer that makes it well worth the 60 bones. It falls short of legendary, but it’s sure to offer anyone who takes the plunge a visceral, tactical treat for the thumbs and eyes. It may be tough to get into, but once it gets its hooks in it won’t let go.

The first-person view even has a sense of inertia that many FPS titles somehow fail to include, and all of this is trucked along in compliment by the game's gloomy and dark appearance. It's not gritty so much as it is heavy.

The PS3 finally gets a new signature title with a game that will have wide spread appeal. Killzone 2 sets new standards for graphics while providing a solid story with interesting characters. Co-op would have been nice addition but it's still the most fun I've had with a FPS game in a long time.

Killzone 2 successfully iterates upon the formulas and standards of console first-person shooters in ways that make it feel fresh, and it does all that while looking absolutely outstanding. If you're the least bit interested in first-person shooting and you own a PlayStation 3, Killzone 2 should be near the top of your list.

The single-player experience is a truly enjoyable campaign across the Helghast home world that will test your skills, particularly on the higher difficulty levels, and the game simply looks phenomenal for a console shooter. But perhaps the strongest segment of the game is the extremely deep multiplayer, which gives seven basic classes with which you can create your own customized super-soldier after performing your class-specific duties.

Outstanding. It is consistent in every respect and is testament to the talents of the developer as well as the power of the PS3 in the hands of a team that knows how to use the hardware - and who have the full support of Sony behind them. In the same stroke, it is not the be all and end all of console shooters, or even shooters on the PS3.

For a developer whose previous games have been little more than average, Killzone 2 is a landmark achievement. Guerrilla has pushed the boundaries of what we’ve seen on PlayStation 3 by creating an all-action shooter that’s far closer to the original E3 teaser trailer than we could ever have imagined. It’s not perfect, sure, but it’s arguably the best FPS on PlayStation 3 and one that is, in this reviewer’s opinion at least, superior to "Resistance 2."

If it isn't the War To End All Wars some have prophesised, Killzone 2 is definitely the exclusive FPS your PS3 has been waiting for. While the intensity of the spotlight Guerrilla brings to bear on how you go about shooting stuff occasionally leaves its scenarios in the dark, those intimidating good looks, chiselled hide-and-seek engagements and savage online modes are plentiful compensation. After almost five years of infamy, the franchise has taken revenge on its critics

Technically it's a masterpiece with unparalleled graphics. Online it's only beaten by "Call of Duty Modern Warfare." The campaign is a bit short, but there are some really impressive scenes that I just wished were longer. Overall it's one of the best games in recent years and the most impressive-looking game ever.

Killzone 2’s secret ingredient is the fluidity in gameplay that we have come to enjoy more than its graphical prowess or jaw-dropping visuals. And that’s what games have always been about... We're surprised to see Killzone 2 blows our expectations out of the water with a memorable SP campaign and a stellar MP component. To put it short, this game makes "Gears of War 2" look like a high school attempt at gaming and that is a HUGE compliment!

Killzone 2 rises from the ashes of the E3 2005 trailer to prove itself as even better; the most outstanding, immersive and technologically advanced first person shooter available for any console on the market. The dark and grim world created by Guerrilla hosts a crude conflict on Helghast soil, divided in 10 acts packed with a variety of situations portrayed with an epic tone. With a polished enemy AI, a huge multiplayer, a well balanced and powerful arsenal, 7.1 sound, great voice acting among some other strong points, few complaints can be made; only the lack of coop and some roughness in the allied AI. The rest is faithful and loyal to the promise Guerrilla made 4 years ago. Mission accomplished.

Killzone 2 is truly a tour de force from a technical point of view, but also a game with solid gameplay. Its strengths live in variety and high involvement for the players, even with a cover system that needs some improvements. The Multiplayer side is equally strong (even more), so any PlayStation 3 owner should at least consider buying it.

For all its guts and glory, for all its taxing, gritty fortitude, Killzone 2 adheres too strictly to the rules of its genre to send itself into the stratosphere. What will stand the test of time is its pitch perfect grasp of said genre, its wonderfully taxing, take-no-prisoners assault on your senses and your trigger finger. It is the ultimate conservative First-Person-Shooter, whether it wants to be or not. And this is why it’s worth your bucks.

Guerrilla have defied the claims that they could never reach the visual clarity of that infamous 2005 trailer and they defied claims that gameplay would be lacking. They haven't done anything really 'new', nor have they made a game that redefines the way we play FPS games. They've made a game that sets the benchmark for what level of quality FPS games should aim for, and stands strong against this generations biggest FPS games, proudly presenting itself as a vicious shooter that will grip you by the throat, and won't let go.

A pure, stripped-down, focused shooter that handles the fundamentals of firstperson violence better than any other titles before it, while also managing to be the best-looking game on the PS3 by quite a margin. Bring on the multiplayer.

Considering the worth of a lengthy campaign offering genuine challenge, thrilling local multiplayer with A.I. bots, and a layered online multiplayer component that's likely to be PSN's main point of attraction for the foreseeable future, it's clear Killzone 2 has taken the ever-so popular wheel, slapped a gorgeous chrome rim on it, drastically reduced its tyre profile, and applied a sense of balance never before felt on a wheel. Why then would anyone want to reinvent the wheel when the damn wheel never looked so good or rolled so well?

I'll say it again: Killzone 2 is the best console first person shooter ever. It will be bested one day, and that is as it should be, but this game has set the proverbial bar so high we reckon it'll be the king for a good long while... Hail to the king, baby. [Feb 2009, p.66]

Visually it's so far ahead of anything else out there it shatters your expectations...This is a PS3 showing what it's truly capable of and delivering a landmark piece of explosive entertainment you can't afford to miss. [Feb 2009, p.88]

It's true that Killzone 2 is filled with moments that can handily be described as inspiring awe. Each scene is incredibly well detailed, from the gaps in jerry-rigged cover points letting you sneak in a killing headshot to scarred and scratched textures, the planet feels entirely believable... Without a doubt Killzone fans, action and shooter fans of any stripe will instantly tag this sequel as a powerful contender for best game of 2009. [Feb 2009, p.38]

Killzone 2 is by far the best first person shooter on the PlayStation 3, with unprecedented graphics, impressive physics and a multiplayer experience that deserves to be played. Guerrilla Games have created an unforgettable action adventure with varied gameplay, intelligent AI and imposing enemies. You don't want to miss this game.

Ultimately, we have a game that strikes the perfect balance between a single-player and multiplayer experience. Where almost all current FPS games boast a multiplayer component that is far and away better and more satisfying than the single-player experience, Killzone 2 boasts a single-player campaign that is every bit as much fun as the multiplayer - and that is truly a rarity.

Killzone 2 is a unique experience. The intense single player and a compelling "Call of Duty"-style multiplayer deliver an impressive package by themselves. If you add an outstanding engine and design, what you get is the masterpiece everyone was waiting for. The only drawback is the plot, weak and affected by bi-dimensional characters. Since plot isn't really the core aspect of a shooter game, Killzone 2 is still a must buy for every genre fan, and it raises the bar for every future production.

Killzone 2 is not a revolution. It was never intended to be. However, it would be folly to disregard its importance, both to the PS3 and the console FPS. It’s a refinement of the genre, distilled to its purest and polished to a glittering shine.

For the most part Killzone 2 is utterly, mesmerisingly brilliant and polished to perfection: the gunplay is solid, the controls, once tuned to your liking are superbly weighted and intuitive and the action, when good, is relentless. Time will tell whether or not the single player campaign will be held in as high regard as we’d all want it to be, but right here, right now, this is as good as it gets. [single-player review only]

It’s not perfect and there are a few things which could do with a bit more care for the next game - largely the lack of co-op and fairly dull story and characters - but nonetheless, this is one of the most beautiful, explosive and entertaining shooters of the console generation so far. Bring on Killzone 3.

If not for the harmony of the online experience married to the single-player game, Killzone 2 may not have been nearly as amazing. But it does have both components, and they make for one of the single best values of 2009. Buy this game.

Killzone 2 is an awesome game that will grab hold of you and not let go for quite some time. The gameplay is fast and furious, the atmosphere is rich and deep, and all around the single and multiplayer features are fantastic.

Killzone 2's been hyped waaaay, too much, of course. And, no, it doesn't live up to the hype, because if it did it would be the greatest FPS of all time, which it isn't. But it is the best PS3-exclusive to date.

While Killzone 2 does walk on mostly well-trodden ground, it does so with a keen attention to style and detail, pushing beyond the gray-and-red color schemes that define its competition while encouraging gamers to put a little bit of thought behind every bullet they hurl.

It seeps action from every angle and makes you question whether you are actually in the middle of a war zone thanks to it’s stunning effects and sound. If you want eye popping, pant wetting action then this is most certainly the game for you.

John P, clearly you are new to playing games, maoning about the load pauses, which only lasts a couple of seconds and in between fire fights. John P, clearly you are new to playing games, maoning about the load pauses, which only lasts a couple of seconds and in between fire fights. Alot of games do this, half-life for example, to moan about it is like moaning about bread having crusts, dont be so stupid. Onto my thoughts, im enjoying the game, the single player is short, story and characters are terrible (rico!) but the gameplay is solid and fun enough. The multiplayer is where the game truly comes alive, really enjoying that so far. The controls can be tricky but all it takes is some setting changes to what you like and some practice and thats it. Clearly some folk like John P and Gav (didnt like gears or halo either!? why did you even buy this game if you dont like good shooters!?) are just bad at games and blame the games for their own short comings. Not saying everyone has to like the game (its not for everyone) but the reasons these guys gave were moronic.…Full Review »

I am disappointed by Killzone 2. Even though it has received rave reviews by the critics, i have to say, i find it quite difficult to come upI am disappointed by Killzone 2. Even though it has received rave reviews by the critics, i have to say, i find it quite difficult to come up with positive things to say about it.The graphics are pretty nice yes, but unfortunately, games like Uncharted 2 and God of War 3 are available on PS3 and they have much more eye candy. The graphics of Gears of War 3 on Xbox 360 (I own both consoles) are almost on par.And, well, that's about all the positive things i have to say about this game.

The story is a total fail. From the start i couldn't understand what we were doing on Helghan and why we were doing it. I couldn't even understand why we were supposed to be the good guys. Sure, the enemies looked menacing with all the nazi-like styling, but apart from that, the gamer doesn't have a clue what is going on, because the story is non existent.Just like the story, the characters and their conversations are completely disappointing as well. I can't say much because i just don't remember anything. My brain has immediately deleted any relevant information because it considered it junk i guess... Uncharted's story and script is light years better.

The controls are adequate. I didn't like the covering mechanism -there were times that even though i was supposed to be covering, the enemies could still see me and shoot me dead- and the unimaginative way the developers chose to use the dualshock's accelerometer.

Overall, a mediocre game, way worse than Gears of War series, Call of Duty, Crysis or Half Life.Certainly the biggest disappointment of all the ps3 exclusives.…Full Review »

guywhohateskillzone

Jun 11, 2009

0

cause it sucks major ballz i hate the shitty graphics, i mean c'mon people lets b serious, it looks like friggin pack man and thecause it sucks major ballz i hate the shitty graphics, i mean c'mon people lets b serious, it looks like friggin pack man and the gameplay is like putting an elephant dick in your throut, impossible, no i do not have a ps3, and this doesn't help me, i,m glad with my 360, ps3 sucks major balzzzzzz…Full Review »